A Finale, Of Sorts
by Zaxxon
Summary: My version of what might have happened instead of actually happened during the Episode Finale... Wrote before epsideo aired... COMPLETE
1. Chapter One

"A Finale, Of Sorts"  
or  
"A Fanfic of Highlander: The Series"  
by Shaule Sachs  
  
This is a work of fiction. This work is not meant to infringe   
on the Highlander copyrights and other things. It is written solely  
for the therapeutic release of the author and enjoyment of others.  
Any similarities between this and real life is pure coincidence.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
--- Part 1 ---  
Monday, before dawn  
A City Park  
  
A lone man in his early twenties maybe at the most twenty-  
eight sat waiting for the Sun to rise in a park that was empty save  
for him. From the headphones laying around his neck one could hear  
one of Mozart's classical symphonies playing softly for a hi-tech  
CD player. The young man sat against a tree that had been in the  
park for two hundred years and it showed its age with proud. There  
was something about the young man as he relaxed against the old  
tree that could suggest that the young man was not so young that he  
may have been older than the ancient tree if one could look closely  
at him.  
  
When the first rays of dawn touched him his face warmed as  
well. His face was like a child who was seeing the sunrise for the  
first time. It was a face of childlike wonder and marvel. The music  
seemed as if it was choreographed to the sunrise as if Mozart had  
a sunrise in mind as he wrote the chosen music. The music swelled  
as the sun rose up majestically. Once the sun had risen fully into  
the sky the music stopped. The silence that fulled the park seems  
almost a silent climax to the dawn. The man's face was both  
peaceful and happy.  
  
"Quite a beautiful sunrise, wasn't it, Methos?" came the  
question as if the Sun itself had asked. Methos gave a start. "Yes,  
it was," responded Methos evenly. "No matter how old I get a  
sunrise is still as awe-inspiring as when I first saw one," Methos  
said in a voice of reflection. "How true," said the voice. Methos  
turned around and saw a man leaning against the ancient tree. The  
stranger had an ageless look to him. He looked neither young or old  
nor were there again signs of ageing or signs of young about him.  
From the expression on Methos's face one could see that Methos  
admired the stranger greatly. The stranger sighed and said, "No  
matter how long I live Creation will always inspire me." The  
stranger spoke as if he could not understand how other people took  
Life for granted.  
  
"You should check out tonight's paper, Methos. You'll find the  
news from Paris interesting, I think," said the stranger. Methos  
just nodded. If his old Mentor said the news was interesting then  
the news could not be anything else. While the stranger just leaned  
there Methos could not help but try to figure out his Mentor who so  
long ago showed him the ways of the Game. While his Mentor was  
immortal like Methos himself he did not seem to have any Quickening  
to him. Once again Methos could not help but feel that the old  
village fool that Methos dimly remembered hearing back in his  
village was right. The gods do walk the Earth in Mortal form.  
  
*******  
  
Tuesday, afternoon  
Motorcycle Racing Track in Paris  
  
Richie felt ready. He felt he will win this motorcycle race or  
die trying. Richie chuckled at the thought. He could not die trying  
since he was Immortal but the thought was what mattered. He had  
practiced a lot on this track to both familiarize himself with the  
track and to show that he could still race to the owner of the  
team. Of course, the fact that he had beaten the top rider's time  
on the course helped make the winning feeling he had in him. He had  
just finishing tuning up his bike and getting it ready to ride when  
he noticed that one of the tools was slightly out of place. Setting  
the bike back to its resting position and with a curse under his  
breathe at Mako's Quickening Richie put the tool back into its  
proper place. He noticed that the need to put everything in its  
proper place and the need to find out the local laws had become so  
much apart of himself that he wondered sometimes if he had always  
had the need but Richie know that the need came not from him but  
from Mako's Quickening that he had taken.  
  
Once everything was in its proper place Richie took his  
motorcycle and headed for the track. Halfway to the track Richie  
felt the Buzz of another Immortal around. Richie as he continued to  
go to the track began looking around for the Immortal he felt.  
Within a few minutes of looking he spotted the source of the Buzz.  
It was Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, his Mentor, coming  
towards him. Richie felt the tense that he don't know existed  
release from his body and waved at Duncan. "Hiya Mac," said Richie  
in a cheerful way. "Hi, Richie," responded Duncan. Richie noticed  
that Duncan was still feeling terrible about leaving Anne because  
he could not bring himself to telling her that he was Immortal. /So  
now he's in Paris and she's in the good old U. S. of A./ thought  
Richie, /I'll have to do something to get them together./ With a  
smile on his face Richie thought, /Of course, Mac can't find out  
it was me or he have my head./  
  
"What are you planning, Richie," asked a slightly worried  
Duncan. "Me?" asked Richie in his best innocent voice. "Yes, you,  
I know that look," said Duncan as he poked Richie playfully in the  
ribs. As cool as he could Richie said, "I think I'll win this  
race," changing the subject.  
  
"Don't get overconfident, Richie, I have seen overconfidence  
lead to defeat more times than I like to admit to," replied a  
serious Duncan MacLeod to his pupil. Richie knew that Mentor-to-  
Student voice of Duncan's and he also knew it was true from  
examples that Mako's memories supplied. Still he could not help  
grinning and saying, "Still, I'm going to win. I can felt it,"  
remarked Richie. "We'll see, Richie," replied Duncan with a slight  
smile. Duncan knew that Richie's good spirit as contagious, it was  
one of the reason that Duncan had came out to see Richie race.  
Duncan knew that he was in a dark mood and that the light of Day  
with Richie would drive the dark mood away for awhile.  
  
Richie got a great start in the race and kept it for most of  
the time. He was trading first and second place with another rider  
who was from another team. As they got closer and closer to the  
finish line the fans began to bet who would win. Feeling some of  
Richie's enthusiasm and the group's energy Duncan joined in the bet  
that Richie would win. There was a cheer when the racers crossed  
the finish line. The two racer were so close that the Judges had to  
look at the photo of the finish to determine who won. Duncan felt  
himself holding if breath as he waited for the results. He hoped  
that Richie won after all the hard work he had done for this race.  
Of course, Duncan realized there would be other races and by now he  
knew how best to convey the expression, "You can't win them all,"  
to Richie. He knew he has had a lot of practice in it.  
  
Duncan had moved to where Richie was waited for the  
announcement of the winner. When the announcement came that Richie  
had won Duncan was the first to congratulate him. Duncan felt  
slightly bad about the fact that he had searched out Richie with  
the thought that he had lost but he was glad he was wrong. Richie  
felt great. He had his best friend and Mentor with him and he won  
his first major race. /It would have been better if Tessa was with  
them or even Anne was here,/ thought Richie, /or if Basil Dornin,  
the number one rider for the team had not at the last minute  
developed a mysterious illness that prevented him form racing./  
Still Richie felt great. He felt so great that he decided that he  
would take Duncan out for a victory celebration to a new restaurant  
that he had found. He wanted Mac's opinion of the place and knowing  
Duncan as he did he was probably there when the restaurant had its  
first opening. So they went there and Richie was right Duncan had  
been there when it had first opened way back when.  
  
*****  
Tuesday, evening  
Duncan's Barge, Paris  
  
Just as Duncan was entering the shower the phone rang. Rapping  
a towel to cover himself, muttering about "Always when I try to  
take a shower," Duncan went to get the phone. "Hello," said Duncan.  
"Kalas is out of jail, Mac," came the voice from the voice. Duncan  
knew immediately the voice on the other end was Joe Dawson's.  
  
  
=== End of Part 1 ===  
 


	2. Chapter Two

"A Finale, Of Sorts"  
or  
"A Fanfic of Highlander: The Series"  
by Shaule Sachs  
  
This is a work of fiction. This work is not meant to infringe   
on the Highlander copyrights and other things. It is written solely  
for the therapeutic release of the author and enjoyment of others.  
Any similarities between this and real life is pure coincidence.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
--- Part 2 ---  
  
Tuesday, evening  
Duncan's Barge, Paris  
  
Duncan had just gotten back from celebrating with Richie. When  
he got inside the barge, he stripped off his clothes and went  
towards the shower stall to take a shower before bed. /A nice  
relaxing shower is what I need,/ thought Duncan. Just as he was to  
step into the shower after carefully adjusting the temperature the  
phone rang. Taking a towel to cover himself as he shut off the  
shower he walked towards the offending phone. /You always starting  
ringing when ever I get the shower just *right*,/ thought Duncan  
evilly at the phone. Snatching the phone from its base Duncan said,  
"Hello."  
  
"Kalas is out of jail, Mac," came the voice on the other end  
of the line. Duncan knew that the voice belonged to Joe Dawson and  
he was troubled. "What happened," asked Duncan in a strained voice.  
"I don't have all the details yet but there was a prison riot where  
Kalas was being kept," replied Joe. Joe told Duncan what happen.  
Apparently, some of the new inmates tried to escape Monday  
afternoon. In the confusion, Kalas was shot, presumed 'killed' and  
was placed in the morgue. It was simple for him to leave from the  
morgue since the prison doctor had declared him dead, which if he  
was mortal he would have been. Joe added that a Watcher had spotted  
Kalas this afternoon but lost him five minutes later. "Where was he  
spotted, Joe?" asked Duncan. "By the bar that he owned," came the  
reply. "Thanks Joe," Duncan said in the sincerest voice he had.  
Duncan could hear the shrug. "What're friends for?" Joe responded  
jokingly. Joe voice changed slightly as the seriousness crept into  
it, "You take care now, Mac."  
  
"Bye, Joe," Duncan reply, "and I will." When the phoned  
clicked signaling that the Joe had hang up, Duncan could not help  
but feel that it was an omen of things to come. Shrugging off the  
mood, Duncan headed back to the shower stall and started it back  
up.  
  
*****  
  
Wednesday, morning  
Duncan's Barge, Paris  
  
Duncan woke up feeling a little uneasy. Joe words about Kalas  
resounded in his head, "He's as good as your are. Maybe better."  
Duncan did not participate in the Game like his clansman Connor  
did. Duncan tried to staying out of the Game as much as possible.  
He did not see the Game like Connor did. He did not think the Game  
was Connor's "War of Good against Evil" not something as grand as  
that. True there was some truly Evil Immortals in the world that  
Connor and himself had removed from the Game but Duncan just didn't  
see that way. Still he knew it would never be over until only one  
of the Immortals remained and until then he was a part of the Game  
even if he would rather not be a part of it. Making sure that he  
had his sword with himself Duncan stepped out to do some grocery  
shopping.  
  
While shopping for some food Duncan thought he saw Kalas out  
of his eyes but he did not feel the Buzz of another Immortal around  
so it must have been his imagination getting the better of him.  
Duncan could not however shake the feeling he was being watched.  
From a Warrior's instincts he knew that who ever was watching him  
did not have evil intentions towards him. /Probably just a  
Watcher,/ Duncan thought. Duncan knew that Joe was safe back in the  
States with him in Paris. /At least, you think Joe will stay in  
Paris and have another Watcher watch you in Paris,/ thought Duncan.  
  
Once he had all the items he wanted he headed back to the  
barge. As he got closer to the barge Duncan began feeling the Buzz.  
Duncan began looking around for Kalas. He had not ever realized  
that he had set the groceries down and drawn his sword until Richie  
appeared from the barge saying, "Woah, Mac, it's just me." Feeling  
slightly foolish Duncan put back his sword as Richie got some of  
the bags from the ground. "What's the problem, Mac?" Richie asked  
curiously. "It's nothing I can't handle, Richie," Duncan said a  
little to fast as he realized Richie was looking at him funny. "Ok,  
Mac, you'll tell me when you're ready," responded Richie. Before  
Duncan could ask why he was here Richie told he that he had a race  
tomorrow and he would like to have him there. "For luck, you  
understand, Mac," finished Richie. "We'll see, Richie, I have a few  
things to do tomorrow," Duncan said. Richie looked so much like a  
puppy that had been told no that Duncan thought about reconsidering  
but the thought that Kalas was out there somewhere waiting for him  
made him stick with his original plan. Duncan would become the  
Hunter now. He would bring the battle to Kalas instead of Kalas  
having the advantage of finding him.  
  
*****  
  
Thursday, afternoon  
Another Racing Track, Paris  
  
Although Richie was not superstitious he would have felt  
better if Duncan was watching him. Still he did the final check to  
his bike both because he wanted to check over everything himself,  
/Mako's Quickening again,/ he thought and to make sure the other  
racer had not tempered with it not that they would but why take the  
chance. As he approached the starting line he gave his teammates a  
smile which Basil Dornin turned a little pale. /I can't imagine  
why. After all, I'm not going to *do* anything to him even if he  
knows I have a sword and that I know how to use it,/ thought Richie  
evilly. As the race was about to start Richie noticed that the  
racer that almost beat him for first place from the last race was  
positioned next to him and that the racer, whose name he meant to  
find out, gave him the thumbs up in a true professional manner  
which Richie returned with a cheerful smile.  
  
Once again Richie found himself racing head-to-head with the  
mysterious racer. The place between first and second place was only  
a foot apart with the position changing as the race went on. Richie  
could not help but feel that the race existed solely between him  
and the other racer. But as the laps began to pile up the race for  
Richie was simply the need to cross the finish line as soon as he  
could. Only part of his mind knew that the mysterious racer was  
behind him as he headed towards the final stretch. Richie felt so  
free as he drove his bike that he was half way tempted to continue  
after crossing the finish line. Instead he stopped at the crew  
area, got off his bike reluctantly, and tried to slow down his  
breathing. He had been so lost in the race that he had not  
remembered if there was anyone head of him as he crossed the line.  
Only after he got himself back under control did he realized that  
he had won the race.  
  
After most of the team congratulated him on another win, he  
headed to the changing area to change into some more comfortable  
clothes. As he was heading that way the mysterious rider, that had  
for two races now had come close to beating him, was coming up to  
meet him. As the rider approached Richie could not help think that  
the rider was a kid younger than himself. When the rider finally  
took off his helmet Richie was in for a surprise. The boy Richie  
thought of was in fact a girl with shoulder-length hair. /Wow,/ was  
the only thought Richie could thinking of. "You were great out  
there!" the girl said in a voice that told Richie that the girl was  
really a woman in her early twenties like himself. "Thanks," was  
only Richie could think of to respond with. "Debrah Nrya," she said  
while sticking out her hand to shake. Taking her hand in his and  
bending slightly like a gentleman to kiss her hand Richie said,  
"Richie Ryan, at your service mademoiselle." Debrah just laughed,  
with a smile on her face Debrah said, "I'll beat you next time  
Richie Ryan." With an equal smile on his face Richie said, "We'll  
see."  
  
*****  
  
Thursday, early evening  
Racing Track, Paris  
  
After changing Richie headed to get his bike he where he had  
left it in the parking lot. Most of the people, those who came to  
see the race and those who raced, had already left. Just as he  
could see his bike Richie noticed that there was a tall person  
waiting for him. From the Buzz Richie knew the person was Immortal.  
But it was not until he got closer did he realized the Immortal was  
Kalas not Duncan as he had first thought. Duncan had not told  
Richie much about Kalas except to run in the other direction if he  
ever saw him. Which Richie felt was very good advice at the moment.  
Richie ran like the Devil herself was after him. /Which is possibly  
close to the truth,/ thought Richie as he ran. /Kalas had just  
about beaten Mac in all but removing his head,/ came the thought  
that Richie tried to avoid. He especially wished to avoid the next  
thought that surfaced but couldn't, /What chance do I have?/  
  
So caught up in his thoughts was Richie that he didn't noticed  
that he had ran right into a blind alley away from the tracks. He  
was trapped. "What are you going to do now, cub?" came Kalas's  
broken voice. /All that left is to fight,/ thought Richie. /Time to  
see if I learned anything,/ so thinking Richie stepped into the  
ready position Duncan had shown him. Kalas could only smile as the  
cub tried to look threatening. "When MacLeod finds out I killed his  
cub. It will be another stake into his heart," Kalas said  
confidently. Richie knew his only hope was to do the unexpected so   
he put the idea into practice by attacking Kalas. Kalas was  
surprised but he was able to deflect the blow barely. Some part of  
Richie, either himself, Duncan's training, or Mako's Quickening,  
knew that Richie had to press his advantage at least until he had  
room to escape. It angered him that Mac told him to run if he ever  
encounter Kalas but Richie knew the best block is not to be in the  
way of the punch. Richie managed to strike Kalas's left side and  
the blow was deep enough to draw blood. Richie was surprised that  
he was actually holding his own. The fact surprised both of them.  
Still he knew the longer he fought the more tired he would became.  
Richie was using a lot of his energies to press Kalas while Kalas  
was conserving his energies in order to wear Richie out.  
  
Richie knew he was getting tired and that was bad thing in a  
fight. Needing a diversion Richie maneuvered Kalas so that he was  
in front of a broken bench that someone was throwing away. With a  
thrust of his sword and a push from his free hand, Kalas went down.  
Richie took the time to get away from Kalas so he could rest. As he  
left the alley he could baring hear Kalas's voice saying, "I'll get  
you, cub." Richie knew Kalas might just to do that. Richie only  
thought was to rest up on Holy Ground and hope Kalas would go away.  
/Not a real grown-up thought there, Richie,/ he admonished himself.  
It took Richie a moment to realized that he could still feel Kalas.  
/My G*d,/ thought Richie, /he's following me. He must be really mad  
at Mac./ Within a few blocks Richie could hear Kalas's footstep  
catching up to him. As Kalas got within a few feet Kalas made a  
jump for Richie. Only Richie's street-smarts saved him as he dodged  
Kalas's tackle. Richie had no choice but move into another side-  
street to make a final stand.  
  
Richie thought he saw someone watch them as they moved into  
the side-alley but he dismissed the idea in favor of concentrating  
solely on Kalas. The stranger had in fact been Watching Kalas  
chasing Richie for a few minutes now after identifying Kalas as an  
Immortal. The stranger could hear sword striking sword in the  
alley. He had tried to watch the fight but the lighting was poor,  
so he tried to move closer to the action, and has he moved closer  
the sounds of battle lessen instead of increase as he got closer.  
He could heard the sound of a sword shattering. Whats more he  
could not differentiate which combatant was which in the dark.  
After a moment the Watcher heard nothing. So he tried to enter the  
alley but bolts of lightning struck out from the alley that barely  
missing him. Once the lightning show was over the Watcher went into  
the alley to see who lost. The Watcher could barely tell that a  
Quickening had been released there if he had not seen it himself  
and to add to his confuse when he went into the allet he could not  
find the body that the former Quickening belonged to.  
  
=== End of Part 2 ===  
 


	3. Chapter Three

"A Finale, Of Sorts"  
or  
"A Fanfic of Highlander: The Series"  
by Shaule Sachs  
  
This is a work of fiction. This work is not meant to infringe   
on the Highlander copyrights and other things. It is written solely  
for the therapeutic release of the author and enjoyment of others.  
Any similarities between this and real life is pure coincidence.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
--- Part 3 ---  
  
Friday, Late Morning  
Duncan's Barge  
  
Duncan was getting a little worried. The sauce was not coming  
out right. Fortunately, he did not expect company until 4pm and the  
sauce only took a half an hour to be made. So he simply threw away  
the bad sauce and started over. While Duncan had been shopping he  
had ran into, literally, an old friend, a mortal by the name of  
Jean-Paul Picard. Jean-Paul was a wine maker by trade and  
tradition. There had been a Picard wine maker for almost three  
hundred years now who Duncan had met the very first time he was in  
France. Duncan hoped that he could introduce Richie to Jean-Paul so  
Jean-Paul could increase Richie's knowledge about wines and  
culture, areas in which Richie's education were lacking in. If  
Richie was to be able to move around like most Immortals had to  
then Richie needs some more knowledge in other cultures besides the  
American culture he grew up in, which Duncan was not sure if  
America had its own culture. If nothing else, a few moments with  
Jean-Paul would increase Richie's understanding of wines  
significantly which would help Richie to get along in a high-  
society setting that Richie seems to like.  
  
As the day wore on Duncan began to wonder where Richie was. He  
knew that there wasn't any races today and Richie had talked to him  
after the race was over yesterday about how he had won the race.  
Duncan had told him to come over for lunch and Richie had said he  
would. So the fact that it was almost lunch time with Duncan doing  
the cooking and the fact that Richie had yet to show had Duncan  
slightly worried. It was not like Richie to miss a meal especial  
one for which he didn't have to pay for. When lunch time had come  
and gone Richie still had not shown up yet, Duncan went from  
slightly worried to wondering what was keeping Richie. Duncan  
quickly dismissed the idea of Kalas had killed Richie since Richie  
was in a public place most of the time. Even Kalas would not break  
the Rule of keeping Immortal fighting away from public view. /So  
what was keeping Richie,/ thought Duncan. The idea that Richie had  
met a girl entered Duncan's mind with a laugh but the more he  
thought about the more the idea seemed likely. Duncan thought of  
Richie as a kid when in fact Richie was twenty-one years old.  
Duncan had to admit that within the last year Richie had grown up  
a lot. Still Duncan couldn't picture some woman interested in a kid  
but he had heard and seen that some older women seemed to like  
younger men, so it was possible.  
  
But Richie had promised he would come and Richie kept his word  
so long as keeping his word didn't put others in danger. So when it  
was close to three o'clock Duncan began to wonder if something had  
happen at the track. He had not heard about any news about the  
racing track that could account for Richie's disappearance. If  
there was an accident at the track, he would have heard something  
when he went grocery shopping. /So what was keeping him,/ thought  
Duncan again. When the phone rang, its ringing shattered Duncan's  
thought about the possible situations Richie might have been.  
"Hello," Duncan said into the phone. Duncan had a bad sense of deja  
vu come upon him as he realized he was talking to Joe. "Mac," said  
Joe, "Kalas went after Richie last night."  
  
"What?" said Duncan confused. "A Watcher spotted Kalas chasing  
someone who fitted Richie's description last night," replied Joe in  
a worried voice. "But," Duncan began, "but even Kalas would not  
attack another Immortal in public." With a fieriness that Joe had  
never heard before, Duncan said, "Its against the Rules. Even Kalas  
won't break the Rules."  
  
"Maybe," was all Joe said. Taking a deep breath that Duncan  
could clearly hear over the phone Joe said, "The Watcher who saw  
them said it was late, after when most of the people had left, and  
Kalas was chasing Richie in a desert part of town by the track."  
  
"I know the area," replied Duncan. He remembered dealing with  
one or two Immortals in the same area himself some time ago. "What  
else, Joe?" ask a worried Duncan. "The Watcher thought he saw a  
Quickening being taken, Mac," replied Joe in a pained voice. "He  
thought he saw a Quickening?" asked a incredible Duncan. "Don't you  
people tell your rookie want a Quickening looks like?" replied a  
sarcastic Duncan. "Yes, we do, Mac," came the patient reply for  
Joe. "The Watcher who spotted Kalas has been Watching his Immortal  
for over thirty years now," Joe said. "Then why does he only think  
he saw a Quickening then?" asked Duncan. "Because when the Watcher  
went into the alley to see who lost there wasn't a body or head  
there. You can't even tell there was a battle there unless you know  
what to look for and even then it was hard," Joe said.   
  
"What?" asked a confused Duncan, "when a Quickening is  
released, regardless of the strength of the Quickening, it still  
makes a mess." While Duncan's mind would not accept the idea that  
Richie was dead, the thought that Richie's Quickening would not  
leave a mark to show his passing did not seem possible to him.  
Richie may have not been an Immortal long but Duncan had thought  
that Richie's Quickening was strong for one so young. Duncan also  
thought that Mako's Quickening add to Richie's would make Richie a  
target for those Immortals so sought strong Quickening within young  
Immortals. It was one of the reasons that Duncan had trained Richie  
so hard.   
  
"True," replied Joe breaking into Duncan's dark thoughts. "Yet  
a Watcher who has both seen and heard a number of Quickening taken,  
heard one but cannot find the body or even evidence of the fighting  
that he was but moments before Watching as he crossed the street to  
get closer," continued Joe. "And when he got to the alley where he  
saw the fight there wasn't any evidence of a fight, Mac," replied  
a puzzled Joe. Finishing Joe said, "We don't know what happened."  
Duncan was not listening, "So Richie is dead?" Duncan could hear  
the shrug over the phone as Joe answered, "As I said, we don't know  
what happened. He may have gotten lucky, Mac." Duncan hoped that  
Richie did get lucky but he also hoped that Richie was not lucky  
too. He hoped Richie was lucky so that Richie was still live but he  
hoped not since if he was live then Kalas's Quickening was now a  
part of Richie and Duncan did not know if Richie could handle it.  
/Could I face Kalas in Richie's body?/ Duncan asked himself. To  
which the practical side replied, /I don't know and I hope it won't  
come to that./  
  
  
*****  
Friday, Afternoon  
Duncan's Barge, Paris  
  
Duncan hang up the phone after Joe had repeated everything he  
knew. Duncan only half believed the coincidence that Joe was coming  
to Paris tonight to buy some wine for the bar. Although Duncan  
believed that Joe did not what to go through some middle man to buy  
the wine and alcohol for the bar, still Joe had sounded as if this  
was a spur of the moment idea. Duncan could easily envision that  
Joe was going to send Mike to get the wine and decided to go  
himself when he heard the news. Duncan had sat down on the couch  
when he was talking on the phone and now he was simply sitting  
there oblivious to everything. That's how Jean-Paul found him.  
  
Jean-Paul had decided to come early to see how Duncan was  
doing. When he had met him in grocery store Duncan seemed to have  
some thing bothering him but now he seemed like the death warmer  
over. "What's a matter?" asked Jean-Paul. "Bad news," said Duncan.  
"Oh?" replied Jean-Paul. "A close friend of mine was in an accident  
and the doctors don't know if he'll pull through," Duncan said  
quickly to explain the situation. "Well, all you can do is pray and  
remember that we all die at some point," remark Jean-Paul. /Not all  
of us,/ thought Duncan sadly.  
  
=== End of Part 3 ===  
 


	4. Chapter Four

"A Finale, Of Sorts"  
or  
"A Fanfic of Highlander: The Series"  
by Shaule Sachs  
  
This is a work of fiction. This work is not meant to infringe   
on the Highlander copyrights and other things. It is written solely  
for the therapeutic release of the author and enjoyment of others.  
Any similarities between this and real life is pure coincidence.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
--- Part 4 ---  
  
Saturday, Morning  
Location: Unknown  
  
The darkness that surrounding him felt very comfortable. He  
did not have to know who he was or any other problems like that. He  
could feel from the pain throughout his body that he was live and  
some part of him told him that he was on Holy Ground as well. As  
the a light grew within him images of the past began to form in his  
mind. Some of the image were pleasant while others were painful to  
watch. Some images were fuzzy like an old photograph while some  
were clear. Yet these images seemed to come from other sources than  
himself. These other sources disturbed him for some reason. Soon  
the images grew to encompass him. His mind became a whirlwind that  
seemed as if it was trying to drown him in his own mind. At least  
he hoped he was in his own mind.  
  
When he tried to think up his own name out of the maelstrom  
several names arose out of it. /But which one is *mine*,/ came the  
thought out of the darkness. AS the maelstrom continue to grow more  
images came into his mind's eye to see. They seemed to belong to  
other person and another time. Finally, one image arose to dominate  
the others. He could see out of both person's eyes giving it the  
unrealness of other two strangers. He saw the larger man attacking  
the smaller man back. He did not which man he was. He saw through  
the smaller man's eyes the madness in the larger man's eyes. He  
felt the madness of the larger man as if its him own while at the  
same time feeling the desperation in the smaller man. He saw as the  
larger man moved the smaller back in a corner. He saw the smaller  
man strike out with the strength born on desperation hit the sword  
of the larger man near the base of the blade and saw the larger  
man's sword break. He felt the wonder as the larger man saw his  
sword break and the wide look in the smaller man's eyes. The shock  
of his sword breaking had paralyzed him long enough for the smaller  
man to pull his sword back and kill the larger man. He was more  
felt the lightning that had come from the larger man's decapitated  
body and the chaos as it entered his body. In the confusion he  
thought he saw a monk cleaning up the mess of the battle. HE now  
knew that his name was Richard Ryan and that he won his battle with  
Kalas because he was lucky. Lucky that Kalas's sword broke as it  
did. Richie knew that it was Kalas's hatred of Duncan that now  
fogged his mind. The idea of killing Duncan seemed to fluxuation in  
his mind but he knew that Duncan was his friend not his enemy.  
  
The idea that he saw a monk while he was fighting Kalas  
intrigued him especial since he was now on Holy Ground. How he knew  
he was on Holy Ground Richie did not know nor did the memories of  
the others now in him could tell how. They all had asked the  
question at some point but they never founded an answer. Very  
carefully Richie sat up after discovering that he was lying down on  
some kind of cot. As he sat up he noticed that he was not wearing  
any clothes which he remembered were both strained with blood and  
tore from the fight. While examining the room he was in he noticed  
it was a small room like the type you see in the Movies were Monks  
live. He saw that there was a bottle of some liquid, a bowl of  
water and some cheese on a table by the cot. Next to the table was  
a chair with his clothes on it. The clothes looked cleaned and  
mended. Feeling conscious of the fact that he was nude on Holy  
Ground Richie got out of the cot and dressed as fast as his aching  
body could. After finishing, he poured himself some of the liquid  
from the bottle, which turned out to be a sweet tasting water, and  
ate some of the cheese. As he ate, he realized that he had not  
hallucinated about the Monk and apparently the Monk had brought him  
to Holy Ground. After eating a good portion of the cheese and  
drinking the water Richie sat down on the floor and let the Peace  
of the Holy Ground relax him. Every time he thought of Duncan, he  
felt hatred for him instead of the friendship he had known. He knew  
from taking Mako's Quickening that he was being influenced by  
Kalas's Quickening. It was simply the desire to remain himself that  
had prevented Kalas's Quickening from taking over. He knew that he  
would have to stay on Holy Ground until he could put Kalas's  
Quickening into its proper place within himself before he could  
leave.  
  
Richie was so lost in his thoughts that he did not hear the  
Monk the first time he had cough to get Richie's attention. On the  
third attempt Richie heard him and looked at the Monk. The Monk had  
a look of Peace about him, /like Darius did/ thought Richie and he  
looked slightly familiar to him. "I'm Brother Tunha. Since you  
handled your opponent's Quickening so poorly I'd assume that you  
are not much older than what you appear to be, am I correct?" asked  
the Monk. Brother Tunha's german accent had it hard for Richie to  
understand him at first but some part of Richie figured it out.  
"Richie... Richard Ryan. And yes, I'm only twenty-one," Richie  
said. "Why did you bring me here?" asked Richie.  
  
"As I said, you took your opponent's Quickening rather poorly  
so you need rest," replied Brother Tunha. "Besides after taking the  
Quickening of someone as bad as Kalas you will need the Peace of  
Holy Ground for awhile, I think," Tunha continued. "How do you know  
Kalas?" asked Richie with some curiosity. "Everyone in the Order  
has heard what Kalas has done," answered Tunha with a sadness in  
his voice. As he was about to ask what Order was, a memory from  
Kalas came to him. The memory told him that a bunch of Immortals  
had decided that they were here to dedicate their immortal lives to  
the serve of G*d. These immortals make priest of the religions that  
existed in their time and they had banded together to help each  
other and to help any who needed sanctuary be they Immortal or  
Mortal. Paul, the Immortal monk that Kalas had killed before he  
tried for Duncan, and Darius were members of this Order. The Order  
began over three thousand years ago when a Mortal Priest ordained  
the first Immortal Priest, To, who Darius had killed and took his  
place afterwards.  
  
Richie just said, "Right." The sarcasm in his voice did not  
bother Brother Tunha, in fact he just smiled as Richie laid back  
down.  
  
=== End of Part 4 === 


End file.
